TV ad reunites this Vauxhall Cadet with an old friend
An 88-year-old Nottingham man was stopped in his tracks when he saw a Bristol Street Motors TV advert celebrating the company’s 100-year history, as the ad featured a car that had been owned by his family over 80 years ago. Memories of childhood trips with his family came flooding back for Brian Francis when he spotted that the Vauxhall Cadet, OJ 4251, was the same one that had belonged to his grandparents, father and uncle from 1932 to 1958.
After writing to Bristol Street Motors to let them know about his personal links to the classic car, the nationwide dealership group arranged for them to be reunited at its Nottingham dealership. As part of their reunion, Bristol Street Motors presented Brian with a framed picture of the vehicle, taken during the production of the advert. Brian also enjoyed a ride in the Cadet, which he fondly refers to as ‘an old family friend.’
Brian told Bristol Street Motors about some of his memories of the car, recalling: 'It’s strange how your memory is triggered by different things; sitting in the car once again, I was taken back in time and thought about all the fun we had together back then. I have vivid memories of sitting on my father’s knee in the front passenger seat while my uncle drove the family to a picnic with a wicker hamper strapped to the rear panier, acknowledging the salutes of the AA motorcycle patrol men. Happy memories – times have certainly changed.
'During its time with my family, the car was used solely for weekend and holiday excursions. During the winter months it was cocooned under a dust sheet in the garage, before being brought out in the spring and lovingly tended to in preparation for the coming season’s outings. It is obvious that the TLC which OJ 4251 received during its early years must have stood it in good stead for it to be in such pristine condition today.'
The Vauxhall Cadet is currently owned by Roy Upperton, who has taken great care of it. Roy supplied Bristol Street Motors with the Cadet for their TV advert as it fit the criteria for featuring in it perfectly. The atmospheric TV ad takes a nostalgic trip through Bristol Street Motors’ history of selling cars for over 100 years. Perfectly recreating the different eras portrayed, it features classic cars including this 1930s Vauxhall Cadet, a 1970s Ford Cortina and Ford Escort, and the all-new Hyundai IONIQ 5.
Bristol Street Motors was established as a single motor retail dealership in Bristol Street, Birmingham. Now part of the Vertu Motors group, it has grown to operate 159 sales outlets across the UK, with the original West Midlands site still operational. The advert was filmed at the Rotunda in Birmingham, part of the iconic Bullring, the Black Country Museum in Dudley, and various other locations around the Midlands. You can watch the full TV advert featuring the Vauxhall Cadet by clicking to www. bristolstreet.co.uk/then-nowalways/
Tom Cummings presented Brian with a framed picture of the Cadet taken during the production of the advert, watched by Roy Upperton.